Michelle Obama-Carla Bruni Fashion Duel

First Lady Lives Up To Her Reputation During Visit To Paris

(AP)  Michelle Obama, whom French fashionistas regard as the best-dressed American first lady since Jackie Kennedy, lived up to her sartorial reputation during her trip to Paris, sporting a wardrobe of fashion-forward classics by top American designers.

But the woman who put unstuffy retailers like J. Crew on the fashion map also showed a weakness for high-end fashion "a la francaise," taking her two daughters on a private shopping trip to the exclusive children's couture house Bonpoint.

Mrs. Obama's visit to the City of Light was widely billed as a rematch of the "duel of charm" that pitted her in a glamour contest against France's first lady, the former supermodel-turned-singer Carla Bruni-Sarkozy.

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Photos: Style Wars
Photos: Obamas with the Queen
Photos: Sarkozys with the Queen

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The two faced off before the cameras only once during Mrs. Obama's latest visit, from Friday through Monday. For D-Day commemorations in Normandy, the first ladies chose strikingly similar looks, both in creamy white, knee-length dresses with contrasting belts and kitten heels.

The heels were a departure for Bruni-Sarkozy, a leggy Italian-born heiress who leaped to fame in the early 1990s as a top model. Since she married France's diminutive leader Nicolas Sarkozy last year, the 5'9" (175 centimeter) -tall first lady has largely stuck to flats for her public appearances.

Bruni-Sarkozy's outfit, which also included a swingy black cashmere coat, was signed Christian Dior - her favorite label. Also true to form, Mrs. Obama's dress was by Narciso Rodriguez, one of the stable of American designers she champions.

Britain's Daily Telegraph said photos of the two striding side-by-side on the red carpet at Saturday's commemorations were "surreally interchangeable with shots from a catwalk show. ... They could almost have been modeling some designers' collection named 'First Lady Spring 2009."'

French fashion weekly Elle said the two looked like "twin sisters" and hailed their "sophisticated, feminine" 1950s-era looks as "a success: We want more!"

A similar thing happened at their last meeting, at a G-8 summit in the French border city of Strasbourg in April, when both showed up in stylish but proper coats embellished with flowing bows at the neckline and coordinated with matching dresses.

Then, the European fashion press generally concurred that Mrs. Obama's Thakoon ensemble, in black silk with fuchsia flowers, stole the show from Bruni-Sarkozy's Dior outfit in putty gray.

But it appeared that Bruni-Sarkozy's sophisticated Parisian style might be winning Mrs. Obama over.

On Sunday, the American first lady and daughters Malia, 10, and Sasha, 7, went shopping at Bonpoint, a children's clothing store favored by wealthy Parisians and international jet-setters like Sofia Coppola.

Bonpoint's store in the tony Saint Germain des Pres neighborhood was closed for inventory on Monday and store officials were not available to discuss what, if anything, they bought. The brand, known for its airy stores carrying cashmere baby sweaters and smocked pastel frocks, was a far cry from CrewCuts, J. Crew's children's line, which the Obama girls wore to the inauguration.

Mrs. Obama and the girls met up with the president in Paris, on the last leg of his six-day tour of four Middle Eastern and European countries. Obama left Paris for Washington, D.C., on Sunday morning, leaving his wife and children to enjoy the French capital on their own.

Apart from the D-Day commemorations, Mrs. Obama's Paris visit was a private one, closed to the press. Photographers and camera crews caught images of her and the girls visiting the city's must-see monuments, including the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, the Pompidou Center modern art museum and Notre Dame cathedral.

For those visits, Mrs. Obama stuck to her signature looks, wearing cardigans and flats for her trip to Bonpoint and a teal jacket and printed scarf for the Eiffel Tower.

Mrs. Obama and the girls also attended a private luncheon hosted by the Sarkozys. The event, at the gilded Elysee presidential palace, looked like an advance fete for Sasha's 8th birthday this Wednesday.

It wasn't immediately clear what Mrs. Obama or Bruni-Sarkozy wore to the lunch, so fashion-watchers will have to hold on for Round 3 of the first ladies' fashion face-off.

[sam-kiley]

bonsoir
carla bruni et michéle obama n'ont pas le meme gabarit, quand au style, chacune a son propre style, mais elles ont élégantes tous les deux, le choix des couleurs de michéle obama s'est amélioré, certaines couleurs ne lui vont pas,( 'rouge, grenat etc..) le bleu ciel, blanc et noir lui vont bien, .carla aussi est élégante discrete et simple quand au choix des couleurs..bravo mes dames.

[kamsack50]

Carla has the face. Michelle has the body - her butte drives me wild. Hot for Michelle!

[iagtot]

What a lot of horrendously rude people posting here. You should all be ashamed of yourselves for saying what you've said about our first lady. Low class scum. Grow up!

It's only a fashion duel in the eyes of the media who have nothing better or more important to report. Pleeeze, enough already

[number1GI]

Carla ......Cest ce Bon Mon cheri Vive Le France

[ReallyMeanIt]

Beauty and the beast.
If michele obama actually thinks she pretty and classy then she's really self deluded.

[inmaryland1]

Bruni, however, isn't sporting her original face...she's had some work done that, at times, makes her appear gaunt and tight. I absolutely agree Mrs. Obama needs to check fit (many sheath dresses are not tailored generously enough in bust and mid section) She would do well to seriously consider dumping the oddly placed belts. A good trade would be to adopt a thinner belt, worn low, casually, or omit them entirely. Of course, accentuating her most slim feature (the ribcage) seems reasonable, if not novel, yet the style doesn't ring iconic...more an overplayed fashion moment. As far as her posture goes, give her a break. She's human, and perhaps even not always photogenic, if not totally physically exhaused. at all times. In person she shines better than in a photograph. It is a bonus, but a rare one, that a politician has beautiful moments, and it seems, moments they are, but enjoyable ones when they happen.

[iloveusa2]

Michelle Obama leaves a lot to be desired in her choice of clothing. I agree her posture is terrible and the high belts only emphasize that problem. Everything she wears looks like it is two sizes too small. Also, she has the same arrogant expression on her face most of the time, just like Barack has. She needs to let up on the cardigan sweaters, they are getting a bit tiring.

Carla Bruni is very classy - what I think someone in her position should be.

[randomlybanned]

I so agree with momofdaisy!!! Sometimes Michelle looks good but mostly she wears the belt under the boobs get-ups and always with the bare arms??? A little variety might help. Absolutely hated the yellow monstrosity on inaugural night. My favorite look was when she had the Broadway weekend in NY in the black dress. That one was classy even though the $250,000 taxpayer funded date night was terribly UNCLASSY. They have no regard for us little people who are pinching every single penny.

[incog-nito]

Judging by the post I'd say the wingnut loons hate the first family even more than they hate the French.

[incog-nito]

Carla - Fine classic American lady with superior intellegent!

Posted by architekker-2009 at 3:03 PM : Jun 9, 2009

Carla, American? Are you stupid or what?

[CLoverNYC1]

Carla = Vogue classic beauty

Michelle = angry black woman in K-Mart

[CLoverNYC1]

Who are these unnamed 'French fashionistas' are they on the Obama payroll?

Michelle Obama is a large woman with an imposing jawline and a poor sense of fashion. She's the poster girl for KMart who happens to live in the WH.

If you examine the photo of Michelle Obama in that too-tight red and black get-up she wore the night President Obama was elected, she looks like a black widow spider.

[eferrell2]

You are all racist idiots! Go find a job or something - assuming you even know how to read.

[momofdaisy]

I am sorry. Our first lady truly does need help with her fashions and her terrible posture!! And, enough of the belts under the boobs.

[pubsnomore]

Yeah, MicHELLe, we saw the angry face. Yes we know you hate the white woman with the glorious clothes...here's a hint for you...

Get a good designer, let THEM pick out your clothes for you....you look like a frump...wearing that belt around that sweater, what's up with that...toss the belt, it serves no purpose right under your boobs...

Get help!
Posted by IThoughtItWasFunnyAgain at 7:11 AM : Jun 9, 2009

Who knows, maybe Mrs. Bruni-Sarkozy made a racist comment for Michelle to make a face like that. I mean she IS French, and a serious SNOB to boot.

Even so, Carla Bruni will always beat Michelle hands-down in the looks department.

[specialty8]

Michelle could not carry Carla's drawers. No comparison.